Cristiano Ronaldo will be available for Portugal’s entire 2026 World Cup campaign after FIFA imposed a three-match ban for violent conduct but suspended two of the games on a one-year probationary period, sparking widespread debate over the application of disciplinary rules.

The decision, announced by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee on Tuesday, stems from Ronaldo’s straight red card in Portugal’s penultimate World Cup qualifier against Ireland last month. Television replays showed the 40-year-old Al-Nassr forward elbowing defender Liam Scales in an off-the-ball incident, prompting the referee to brandish a red card for serious foul play. FIFA subsequently classified the act as “violent conduct” and issued the standard three-match suspension.

However, invoking a rarely used provision in Article 18 of its Disciplinary Code, the committee ruled that only one match must be served immediately, with the remaining two deferred on probation for 12 months. Ronaldo completed the mandatory one-game ban during Portugal’s final qualifier—a 9-1 victory over Armenia—meaning he faces no further absences and is cleared to feature in all group-stage and knockout fixtures at next summer’s tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

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The leniency has triggered intense criticism from pundits and rival federations, who argue that converting two-thirds of a violent-conduct sanction into a probationary penalty undermines deterrence, especially for one of football’s highest-profile players. FIFA defended the ruling by stating that probationary suspensions are permitted when mitigating circumstances exist and the player’s disciplinary record is taken into account, though sources indicate such generous application in cases of direct red cards for violence is almost unprecedented at the senior international level. The controversy is likely to fuel ongoing discussions about consistency in global football governance ahead of the expanded 48-team World Cup.

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